Two-way closure locks



July 10, 1962 D. L. SHELTON 3,043,617

TWO-WAY CLOSURE LOCKS Filed Nov. 29, 1957 FIG. I

FIG.3

INVENTOR United States Patent 3,043,617 TWO-WAY CLOSURE LOCKS Dothan L. Shelton, 4420 W. 2nd Ave., Amarillo, Tex. Filed Nov. 29, 1957, Ser. No. 699,561 11 Claims. (Cl. 292-6) This invention relates to latches or locks for gates. and like closures and more particularly to latches for twoway swinging gates and similar closures.

Latches have been made for such closures, but have not proven altogether satisfactory for the reason that because of a lack of positive action on the part of the latch the gate or closure is often allowed to swing all the way through the opening without catching on the latch. In some latches springs are provided to actuate the latch members. These springs with use lose their strength and become sluggish in act-ion or break and have to be replaced. The improved latch herein disclosed has no springs to get out of order so that the outer case of the latch may be permanently secured together. This invention is also designed to provide positive action to prevent the gate or closure from swinging past the latch stop and opening on the opposite side.

It is an object of this invention to provide a gate or closure lock of rugged construction and economical to manufacture.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a two- Way springless latch that is positive in action and so designed as to prevent the gate or closure from swinging past the latch stop.

Other purposes and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings in which is disclosed a preferred embodiment of this invention, it being understood that changes in the form and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention.

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view with half of the front case cut away showing the latch bolts in closed position.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view with the entire front case cutaway so as to disclose the parts in operated position.

FIGURE 3 is a fixed stop which may be substituted for either of the latch bolts for providing an alternate embodiment comprising a one-way opening latch.

Referring to the drawings, there is provided a back case 11 and a front case 12 which are secured together by any suitable means to form a latch support housing whereby the front and back case members are spaced apart so as to allow room for freedom of movement of the operable parts hereinafter described. The back case is provided with holes 15 which are countersunk and adapted to receive flat headed screws or bolts for attaching the latch to a suitable support member such as a gate post or door jamb. Corresponding holes 16 of larger dimension are provided in the front case to permit access to the holes '15 in the back case for inserting and setting of mounting screws. The operating parts of this improved latch consist of an operating member 17 which is provided with looped handles 18 at each end and which are adapted to be manually engaged for operating the latch. Intermediate the ends of the operating member 17 there are. provided on the lower side thereof the contact lugs 19R and 11'9L (FIGURE 2). There are also provided pivoted latch members or moveable stop abutments or bolts 20R and 20L which are secured within the case by means of the pivot pins 13 which pass through the slots 21 provided in the latch 3,043,617 Patented July, 10, 1962' bolts. The guide pins 22 are adapted to engage the slots or guide-ways 23 provided in each of the latch bolts. Integrally mounted on each of the latch bolts is an operating arm 24 which is adapted to be engaged by the contact lugs 19R and 19L provided on the operating member 17. There is formed on the upper edge of each of the latch bolts a cam surface 25. The lower portion of the latch bolts are provided with a vertical edge 26 and an angular edge 27. The vertical edges 26 are mutually disposed to face each other and to enclose and secure against lateral movement the keeper 28 as shown in FIGURE 1. The keeper 28 is usually secured by screws or otherwise attached to the free end of. the gate or closure. With the arrangement of parts as herein described, so long as the keeper 28 is held against lateral movement, the gate or closure is prevented from opening.

There is also provided holes 14 which .pass through the supporting case and the stem of the operating member 17 and are adapted to receive the bolt of a padlock for the purpose of locking the latch against movement to prevent opening of a closure secured thereby. There is also provided a fixed stop abutment or bolt 30 (FIGURE 3) which may be substituted in an alternate embodiment for either of the latch bolts 20R or 20L to form a permanent stop abutment on one side of the latch to provide for a one-way opening latch. This fixed bolt is secured within the supporting cases 11 and 12 by means of the pins 13 and 22 which are adapted to pass through the holes 31 and 32 provided in the bolt 30.

In operation the normally closed position of the latch is as disclosed in FIGURE 1. Should it be desired to open the latch so as to free the keeper to swing to the right, the operating member 17 is moved'to the right by means of manual engagement of the looped handle 18. Movement of the operating member 17 in a right hand direction will bring the operating lug 19R into engagement with the operating arm 24 provided on the latch bolt 20R. Further movement to the right-of the operating member 17 will pivot the latch bolt 20R on the bearing pin 13 and raise the inward end of the latch bolt. As the latch bolt is raised, the slot 23 is caused to move along the guide pin 22, thereby shifting the latch bolt to the right on the bearing pin 13 along the slot 21. The bolt 20R has rotational and translational movement relative to fixed point or pivot support 13. As this action 1 takes place the inward or keeper engaging segment 26 of the latch bolt is raised in a vertical direction, along the edge of the keeper 28 until it is free to swing to the right as shown in FIGURE 2 and thereby allow the opening of the closure to which it is attached.

In closing the gate or closure after it has been opened as described in the foregoing paragraph, the keeper 28 is moved in a left hand direction into contact with the angular edge 27 of the latch .bolt 20R, thereby lifting the latch bolt. This action causes the cam surface 25 on the upper edge of the latch bolt 28R to engage the operating lug 19R carried on the operating member 17, thereby moving the operating member in a right hand direction. As the operating member is moved to the right, the contact lug 19L is moved along the cam surface 25 on the upper edge of the latch bolt 29L, thereby lifting the operating member 17 so that it is brought against the upper housing of the case, thereby locking the latch bolt 20L in a down position to assure positive engagement of the keeper 28 as it moves in a left hand direction. As the keeper 28 moves from beneath the latch bolt 20R it will drop downward under gravitational action, into normal or closed position as disclosed in FIGURE 1. To facilitate .and assure the operation of the latch bolts 26L and 20R by gravitational action, the upper point 29 of the latch bolts are adapted upon operation to engage the under surface 33 of the operating member 17 and lift the operating member slightly, supporting it so as to place the Weight of the operating member on the respective latch bolts as they are operated, thereby increasing the gravitational pull whereby the latch bolts are returned to normal position. It will be observed that when the latch bolt on one side is in a raised or operated position the other is locked down in inoperative position and cannot be raised. This arrangement assures positive engagement of the keeper 2% when moved into contact with the latchfrom either side. a

In using the fixed stop abutment 34 as disclosed in FIGURE 3, one side of the latch. is permanently rendered inoperative so that the closure can be opened only to the side opposite the stop abutment 39. This stop abutment is reversible and may be installed on either side of the latch support in place of the movable latch bolt.

Having thus set forth the preferred embodiment of my invention, its purpose and manner ofuse, I claim:

1. In a locking device having a latch support, two bolts mountedfor movement on said support, each of said bolts having a vertical edge and an angular edge,.said vertical edges opposed and spaced apart so as to receive a keeper between them, and said angular edges each adapted to move its bolt when the keeper moves relatively contacting the angular edge, an operating member adapted for manual operation, and interacting means on the operating member and each bolt for moving one of the bolts responsive to displacement of the operating member; the improvement comprising in combination with the above: a lug means on the operating member for locking one of the bolts in a keeper retaining position whenever the operating member is displaced.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said lug means on the operatingmember is also means for locking both bolts in a keeper retaining position when the operating member is in an undisplaced position; and the latch support and operating member each having a hole which are aligned when the operating member is in an undisplaced position; whereby the operating member may be secured against displacement, thereby securing both bolts.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 with the addition of means for displacing the operating member responsive to said movement of the bolt caused by the keeper contacting the angular edge.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 with the addition of a cam surface on each of the bolts, said lug means and cam surface together forming means for raising and supporting the operating member responsive to the operating members displacement so that the weight of the operating member aids in returning the bolt to the keeper retaining position.

5. In a locking device operable in relation to a keeper;

two latch members mounted for rotational and translational movement about a fixed point and disposed in mutually reversed relation to each other, mutually opposing segments integral with said latch member and spaced apart to form a keeper engaging space therebetween, a guide pin and guideway cooperable therewith for each latch bolt operable to guide the keeper engaging segment of each latch member in a plane at right angles to the plane of movement of the keeper for releasing said keepa er, a manually operable member, dual lugs positioned in reverse relation on the manually operable member and in operative relation to the latch members for operating the latch members. I

6. A lock-including a latch member having a slotted bearing rotatively and translationally move'able upon a fixedpivotal support, a member mounted for longitudinal movement, means engageable by the member for rotatively and translationally moving the latch member when said member is moved in'one direction, and other means engageable by the member for locking the latch member against moving when moved in the opposite direction.

7. In a locking device, a latch support, two latch members disposed in mutually reversed relation to each. other within the support, said latch members having mutually opposing parallel segments efiective to provide a keeperretaining space therebetween, operating arms extending from said latch members, an operating member responsive to selective control having dual lugs juxtapositioned thereon in reverse relation to each other, said lugs and arms being means for operating said latch members responsive to movement of said operating member so that operation of the operating member releases one latch member and simultaneously secures against movement in locked position the opposite latch member.

8. In a lockingdevice, two latch bolts shiftably mounted upon their axes and disposed in mutually reversed relation to each other, mutually opposing segments provided on the latch bolts adapted to engage a keeper therebetween against lateral movement, a guide pin and guideway for each latch bolt effective upon operation of the locking device to guide the keeper engaging segment of each latch bolt in a plane at right angles to the plane of lateral movement of said keeper for releasing the keeper, a manually operable member, dual lugs positioned in reversed relation on the member, means provided on the latch bolts engageable by the lugs for operating the latch bolts and other means provided on the latch bolts and engageable by the lugs for locking the latch bolts against movement, said operating means and said locking means being reciprocal so that when one latch bolt is moved into operated position to release the keeper, the other is secured in locked position.

9. In a locking device, two latch bolts shiftably mounted upon a pivotal support and disposed in mutually reversed relation -to each other, mutually opposing keeper engaging segments provided on the latch bolts, a guide pin for each latch bolt, a guideway provided in each latch bolt engageable by the guide pin and efiective upon operation of the locking device to shift said latch bolt on its pivot so that the keeper engaging segment thereon is moved in a plane at right angles to the plane of movement of a keeper for releasing said keeper, operating arms extending from the latch bolts, an operating member having dual lugs positioned thereon in reversed relation to each other and adapted to engage the operating arms provided on the latch bolts, and selectively operable to release the respective latch bolts for releasing said keeper.

10. A duplex gate latch including a latch support, two latch members disposed in mutually reversed relation to each other within said support, said latch members having mutually opposing parallel segments eifective to provide a keeper-retaining space therebetween, operating arms extending from said latch members, an operating member responsive to selective control having dual lugs juxtapositioned thereon in reversed relation to each other, said lugs and arms being means for operation, the operating member releases one latch member and simultaneously secures against movement in locked position the opposite latch member, and means whereby the tumbler may be locked against movement and thereby secure both latch members in locked position.

11. In a lock, two latch bolts disposed in mutually reversed relation to each other and having mutually opposing segments positioned to provide a keeper retaining space therebetween, a bearing slot for eachof said latch bolts which are mounted for pivotal and lateral shifting upon a pivotal support an operating member and means engageable by said operating member for locking and re- (References on following page) U References Cited in the file of this patent 935,946 952,029 UNITED STATES PATEN'LS 983,647 Haggar M y 1892 1,883,804 Houghton Ja 8, 9 5 2,510,178 Jackson May 1906 2,671,683 McPhail June 2 9 2,832,627

6 Tatum Oct. 5, 1909 Chambers Mar. 10, 1910 Romines Feb. 7, 1911 Marque Oct. 18, 1932 James June 6, 1950 Heyman et a1 Mar. 9, 1954 Batchler Apr. 29, 1958 

